Auburn approves three personnel evaluations; police report rising calls, radar deployments and ebike concerns

The Auburn council approved three personnel evaluations during the meeting: Officer Thomas Terelli was advanced to full-time step 9, "Little Deb" was advanced from labor grade 8 step 16 to step 17, and Patrolman Scott Curtis was moved from part-time step 6 to step 7. Each motion was seconded and carried by voice vote.

Officials then heard operational reports from the police leadership. Lieutenant Kevin said calls for service rose to 797, animal-control incidents increased in part because the department changed how it logs such incidents, and K9s were deployed four times. He reported seven motor-vehicle accidents in the reporting period and noted several serious ebike injuries involving young riders.

Kevin described traffic enforcement activities and the department’s use of a radar trailer and a battery-powered sign to gather data and slow traffic: the trailer produces deployable statistics officials said they use to target patrols at particular times and locations. He said the small battery-operated sign primarily slows traffic but provides less usable data than the trailer.

On personnel and hiring, speakers said the department has an open posting on policeapp.com and is screening applicants; hiring a certified officer shortens the timeline to patrol duty, while bringing on a non-certified candidate requires academy training and a longer timeline. The meeting noted that a certified hire could be on patrol sooner, while a new recruit typically would not be field-ready until after academy training the following summer.

The Chief reported the department sold an inoperable patrol car for $7,500 and will apply for kitchen HVAC work in the town’s 2026 capital-improvement plan. He also said the state now provides officers with access, during stops, to out-of-jurisdiction bail conditions — enabling arrests for bail violations when observed.

Votes at a glance:
- Motion to approve nonpublic meeting minutes of May 5, 2026 — passed (voice vote).
- Motion to approve public meeting minutes of May 5, 2026 — passed (voice vote).
- Evaluation/promotion: Officer Thomas Terelli to full-time step 9 — passed (voice vote).
- Evaluation/promotion: Little Deb to labor grade 8 step 17 — passed (voice vote).
- Evaluation/promotion: Patrolman Scott Curtis to part-time step 7 — passed (voice vote).
- Motion to adjourn at 7:20 p.m. — passed (voice vote).

What’s next: Officials said hiring interviews were scheduled and that the neighborhood watch will skip July meetings and resume in August; the department will continue to use radar data to schedule enforcement and report updates at future meetings.